She's A Handsome Woman
by KaelynnLovesGerard
Summary: A year after the accident, Johnny Cade is starting to notice Ponyboy's twin sister in a different way. And flustered is an understatement when it comes to Johnny Cade and girls.
1. Flustered

**She's A Handsome Woman by KaelynnLovesGerard.** **Title taken from Panic! at the Disco. REVIEWS, PLEASSSE! There will be no slash in this story, just a heads up.**

Johnny doesn't know what to do.

Here he was, sitting next to a pretty girl at the movies. A _very _pretty girl. Flustered is an understatement when it comes to Johnny Cade and girls.

The sad thing is that they aren't even on a date, he thinks. He's just with his best friend's twin sister.

A blush creeps in on the side of his face and Grace Curtis wonders what's wrong with him.

"Grace, quit hogging the popcorn!" Ponyboy half-shouts impatiently from the other side of Johnny. He grabs the bucket with annoyed enthusiasm. "You've eaten the whole damn bucket."

Johnny sucks in his breath when Grace leans over him to smack Ponyboy. He can smell her shampoo, and her perfume that smells like cherries. Her dark hair is hanging in his face, and his blush deepens when he realizes her chest is pressed somewhat against him.

"I'm not, Ponygirl!" she exclaims, using the nickname he hates. "I paid for the food, I should have control over it." Johnny smiles a small smile.

Grace grabs the bucket and sits back in her chair again, looking satisfied and munching the popcorn again. She sees the look on Johnny's face and is curious.

"Sorry about that," she says. "You know him. He and Soda and Darry eat like pigs."

"So do you," Pony quips from beside Johnny. Grace rolls her eyes. Johnny glances at her, then realizes she is standing.

He turns to Pony, who is also standing, and is immensely confused.

"Where are you going?" Johnny asks. Ponyboy tries to keep the sarcasm out of his voice when he tells Johnny that the movie is in fact over.

Johnny looks up at the screen, and is shocked to see the credits rolling; it feels as if he's been here five minutes, not two hours.

He doesn't know why he's been so distracted. Sure, Grace is really pretty; but he comes across alot of pretty girls at school, and he usually wasn't this on edge. He supposes it could be because it's his best friend's twin sister, and he feels weird for noticing her beauty. _Yeah, that's it_, he thinks and stands to leave with Pony and Gracie.

**The next chapter will be longer, this is an introduction of sorts. Rated T for swearing...haha I put sweating at first. Then it would be M...but there is NO sweating! At least not in the way you are thinking...get your minds out of the gutter. REVIEWS ARE ENCOURAGED! I never get reviews on **


	2. Walking Home

**She's A Handsome Woman Ch.2**

**Rated T for abuse**

Johnny hates walking home.

Especially with Ponyboy and Grace.

It just embarrasses him to no end when his father's drunken bellows are heard sounding from the small house that's practically a shack.

He cringes when he thinks of his father; of the beating he will inevitably receive for coming back. His mother will probably have passed out by now; she can't hold her liquor as well as she used to. But his father won't have any trouble in taking the belt to him.

Ponyboy notices him cringe, and puts an arm around his shoulder.

"You can come to our house tonight, Johnny," Grace says suddenly. "I'll sleep on the couch if you want." The thought of Grace's small, comfy bed _does_ seem inviting...

Johnny blushes at this, though no one can probably tell under his dark hair and tanned skin. He shakes his head.

"Wouldn't wanna bother you," he says, and scratches the back of his head. Ponyboy shakes his head.

"Man, how many times have you been over? I think we've gotten past the point of being bothered. What's with you today?"

The truth is, Johnny has no idea of the reason for his strange behavior and thoughts. He thinks maybe it is the dress Grace has on, a nice-looking piece of clothing despite its being purchased of the distress sale rack. He stares at the black stripes on the white background as Pony waits for an answer.

"I don't know, Pone," Johnny says. "I just feel different," he adds, ever the wordsmith.

"Maybe it's gas," a voice right behind Johnny says, and they turn to see Two-Bit. Johnny's face has paled, and Ponyboy scowls.

"You know you can't sneak up on Johnnycake like that," Ponyboy tells Two-Bit for the hundredth time. Johnny knows his best friend is trying to help, but he hates the way it sounds. It makes him out to be a baby.

"Sorry, Johnny," Two-Bit says, a bit of actual remorse in his voice. He slings an arm around Johnny and Grace, pulling them close to him. Johnny (and Grace, for that matter) can smell the liquor on his breath. He shrinks away from the smell; it reminds him too much of his father for his liking.

"Wanna see a movie?" Two-Bit asks, and Grace rolls her eyes.

"S'where we just came from, Two-Bit," she says sarcastically, and Johnny laughs a little at the hurt look on his face.

Grace smiles when she hears him laugh. Maybe because he hasn't since the accident. A few chuckles here and there, but not a real, full-on laugh.

He remembers the pain from the accident perfectly; the feeling of a flaming two-by-four hitting your spine isn't a feeling you forget easily. He remembers waking up after a beat up Ponyboy and Dally had come to see him. How Pony's face had looked when he told him Dally was shot.

But most vividly he remembers the first time his dad hit him afterwards.

Still in the wheelchair at the time, Johnny's convalescence was coming along nicely, considering it was only a month after the accident. The fear of being in the wheelchair permanently was fading quickly.

And then it happened.

Johnny had let the door slam. Just loud enough to wake his father up. John Cade, Sr. is not a pleasant man in the morning, or afternoon for that matter.

Five belts across the back, and it would be another three months until his full recovery.

Johnny is pulled from the memory by the sounds of dogs barking. He guesses he should be used to it; he's been over to the Curtis's too many times to count.

"You know, Johnny," Ponyboy says as they walk up the stoop. "Darry's promotion at the construction site is givin' us a lot more income these days. We were thinkin'...you wanna come live with us?"

Johnny and Grace suck in their breath, and he thinks maybe she had no idea of this. His eyes widen at the prospect. Who doesn't want to live with their best friend?

"You sure, Pone?" he asks, and Pony nods.

"Well then," Two-Bit says. "I guess you're home, Johnny." And as corny as it sounds, Johnny thinks what Two-Bit said couldn't have rung truer.

**Comments? Questions? Suggestions? I really need at least one review to feel like continuing this. I probably will anyways. I write for me, not for you (sorry). I think the fanfiction world is kind of...shunning me at the moment, because I never get reviews. LOL I know they aren't shunning me...maybe?**


	3. School

**She's A Handsome Woman Ch.3**

"Gracie, put some clothes on!" Darry commands the next morning before school when Grace walks into the living room. She rolls her eyes and pulls her skirt down a tad. Ponyboy chuckles, and she sticks her tongue out at him.

Johnny is sitting on the other side of the room, thinking that Pony is still pretty immature for fifteen. At least, he's immature when it comes to his sister. As much as Pony's been through in the past year, he's still the same guy. But there _is_ something different.

Johnny guesses that Grace and her other brothers don't know about Ponyboy's poetry he writes.

His latest poem is about death-again. Johnny wonders if their roles are switched; wasn't _he_ the one that thought about killing himself?

He pushes the thought away and pulls on his shirt. Johnny's a tad embarrassed to even go shirtless in front of a girl. But then he wonders about his thoughts about Grace lately..._No, I'm not thinking about that right now_, he tells himself.

He went to get his meager possessions last night after his father would've gone on a liquor run. Darry had stood outside of the house the whole time, just in case, because Johnny is still fragile.

Johnny sighs and begins to pull on his tennis shoes. The laces are nothing but string in some places, and one is barely even long enough to tie. His face burns at this. The Curtis's may not be that well off, but they can afford a shoestring.

He figures he could steal a better pair of shoes, but he knows he'd feel guilty; hell, he feels guilty when he steals a pack of smokes. It might be because of the last time he went to church with Pony and Grace(which, when he thinks about it, was too long ago) , when they had talked about The Ten Commandments. He remembers how that one had stood out to him, as if screaming at him. _Thou shalt not steal._ No, he hasn't taken anything from a store in a long, long time.

"Come on, Johnnycake," Grace says, tugging his shoulder and pullling him out of his thoughts. Everyone in the gang calls Johnny by that nickname, but somehow it seems different when Grace uses it, and he blushes, looking at the ground.

He notices Ponyboy look at him strangely, and blushes even more fiercely.

...

The fact that Ponyboy and Grace were both smart enough to skip a grade-and he dumb enough to fail-is enough to make Johnny embarrassed any time he thinks about it. He's supposed to be a Junior; but now he's just a sophomore, a month away from being seventeen. Grace and Pony have just turned fifteen, their birthday being August 23rd.

They weave their way through the students in the hall, Ponyboy and Grace on their way to Honors Algebra, and Johnny going to "Special English", a phrase coined by the teacher that humiliates him. He thinks of the other kids in the class and wishes that he could just be smart; the greaser (and soc) thugs in the class scare the hell out of him.

He stops at the SE room and goes in after bidding farewell to Pony and Grace. He still walks with a slight limp that one has to pay close attention to to notice.

The room is surprisingly empty, and he supposes it is because Mrs. Gage is off getting a coffee from the teacher's lounge.

A greasy kid is sitting in the seat beside Johnny's sharpening his switch on the desk.

"Hey, Cripple," he says, and Johnny rolls his eyes. He takes his seat and pulls out his notebook to start the assignment on the board.

_ONE PARAGRAPH ON WHAT YOU ARE THINKING RIGHT NOW._

_Wow, that's difficult_, he thinks sarcastically. He may not be the best reader or speller, but he's getting better and this assignment is a piece of cake.

_I'm a lot quicker than people think I am. I can't understant some stuff, like math, and I ain't the best reader in the world. But when someone reads to me, like Pony did in the church, I get it a lot more than I let on. I ain't got nothin to prove, I guess. I'm tryin harder, but I just feel behind evrybody. People think that since I ain't as smart, that I'm not worth as much as them. That and me livin on the bad side a town._

He pulls back and examines the paper. He's sure that there are spelling mistakes, maybe a few grammar ones, too. But mostly, he feels good about it. He begins to stand up and a Soc on the other side of him hisses, "Did you write about being a no-good greaser?"

Johnny glances at the Soc's paper, and sees only his name written on it.

Surprisingly outgoing, Johnny returns, "You gonna write about being a trashy Soc?"

It's like a switch is turned on (and he guesses that's a bit literal), and the Soc (his paper says 'Travis') jumps to his feet. He's a good foot taller than Johnny, and he shrinks back.

Usually, he has been able to stay out of harm's way at school; it's usually only after school that he gets jumped, and it hasn't happened since he killed Bob. He flinches as he thinks the name.

"You wanna get smart with me, grease?" Travis asks, his eyes wild and a maniacal grin stretching from ear to ear. "Well, we'll take it outside."

To Johnny's disbelief, the Soc drags him from the room and down the hall. He takes another right, and then stops. He pushes Johnny against a locker, and begins punching him in the face. Johnny tries to remain limp, and takes his first beating he's had in over a year from a Soc.

This is almost worst than his father's abuse; he has escaped that. He can't quit school, though. He wants to be a doctor, an architect, anything that will help him prove himself. Johnny hasn't even told anyone of his goals.

Travis continues to beat on him, throwing in kicks now. He nails one in Johnny's stomach, and searing pain flames it's way up his back.

He closes his eyes and thinks, _It's just like I'm back at the church. The locker isn't there, and the pain in my back is from a piece of flamin' wood. Just make it stop make it stop please it hurts stop-_

"-STOP!" he yells, opening his eyes. "My back!" he exclaims, his thoughts becoming frenzied again.

_Is it broken he's broken my back damn it I just got better_-

"AHHHHH!" he screams, doubling over, and the Soc's eyes widen, a hint of fear in his marble blues. Travis steps back and sprints down the hall, turning back towards the SE room when he reaches the end.

The bell rings and students come filing out of the classroom next to him. He is lying on the ground, and turns his head slightly.

_HONORS ALGEBRA 303_

_Figures_, he thinks, and gasps in pain again. His vision blurs, but he recognizes Grace amid the milling teenagers, and almost blushes with shame.

"Johnnycake?" he hears Ponyboy ask in a high voice. He hears running footsteps, and then Grace and Pony are at his side.

Someone steps on Johnny's arm and he screams.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Grace yells. She rarely swears, and it shocks Johnny slightly. "You can't see a person lying here in pain?"

He can't see the guy's reaction, but Johnny knows he didn't acknowledge her.

Grace has tears pouring down her face when she kneels down again.

"He needs to go to the hospital," Ponyboy says.

Johnny's thoughts swim, and even though he is screaming, he can hear everything around him.

The last thing he remembers before going under is Grace clutching his hand in both of hers.

**I know you probably hate me right now for making Johnny get hurt again. But you'll deal with it.**


	4. Rumors and Homecomings

**She's A Handsome Woman Ch. 4**

"-who could've-"

"-when-"

"-why?"

Johnny stirs, and hears several gasps. He opens his eyes fully, feeling extremely groggy. All he sees is a white ceiling, and turns his head.

"Johnny!" he hears a voice exclaim, and sees Ponyboy and Sodapop appear out of nowhere. They are now talking fast, and Johnny can't comprehend the questions hurled at him from all sides. His head starts spinning, and he closes his eyes.

They finally stop asking questions, and he sighs.

"What's wrong with me?" Johnny asks them, and they exchange glances.

Ponyboy finally answers. "It's...it's your back."

Johnny's heart sinks. "What is it?" His breathing increases, and he just wants to be out of this hospital bed.

"Now, calm down," Soda says, holding up a hand. "It's not..._that_ bad." He and Ponyboy exchange another glance, annoying Johnny.

"Can you guys just get to the point?" he asks impatiently. They look surprised at his outburst.

"Well..." Soda says. "You're gonna have to be in the chair for another month. Whoever messed you up did a pretty good job." He cringes at his phrasing.

_Oh no,_ Johnny thinks, panicking,_ oh please no!_

As if school isn't bad enough...school in a wheelchair is hell. People pushing you down halls at top speeds, stealing your lunch...and worst of all, Two-Bit hitching a ride down the ramp every day going ninety.

A tear slips down his cheek, and he's just broken the promise that he made after Dally's death: to never cry in front of the guys again.

That just causes more tears.

...

If there's any positive side to being in the hospital, Johnny thinks it must be Grace's visits. Not only is she upbeat (excluding the first visit, when she was bawling), she brings him books and reads to him.

He loves the sound of her voice as she reads to him, the way she uses slightly deeper voices for the men, and slightly higher for the women. He loves how she bursts into laughter at random points during a sentence-for no reason at all. But mostly, he realizes, he loves her company in general.

The only thing that interferes with his happiness (aside from the excruciating pain in his back) is the things he hears about Grace from Ponyboy.

One day, three days from his release, Ponyboy blurts, "Someone said Curly Shephard felt her up."

Johnny almost spits out the nasty hospital orange juice.

"What?"

"That's what I said. I told Darry about it..."

"You told _Darry_?" Johnny gasps. "Man, she is going to get it."

"I told Darry..." Ponyboy says. "But Darry says it's prolly just a rumor. So don't say anything, ya dig?"

Johnny nods. He doesn't really care that much, except for that she's his best friend's sister. He hasn't thought those weird things about Grace for the whole duration of his hospital stay-five days- and he intends on keeping it that way.

...

"WELCOME HOME, JOHNNY!"

Johnny is shocked by the room in front of him. There are streamers, balloons, and a banner that reads 'Welcome Back'.

Ponyboy wheels him over the threshold, and immediately the gang is by his side.

As they coo over him, he notices someone walking by out of the corner of his eye.

Grace.

He cocks his head curiously as she slips out of the screen door, wondering how no one notices.

They all eat together that night, except Grace. Darry has baked a chicken and fixed mashed potatoes, fried okra, and green beens.

It's the best meal Johnny's ever had.

**It may be kind of short, and I know it moves fast. But it's kind of third person limited, and only so much goes on in a hospital.**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE CANDY FOR ME!**


	5. Double Meanings

**She's A Handsome Woman Ch. 5**

**Just so you guys know, this chapter may not have the effect I want it to. So please, if you don't like it, continue reading. I promise many delightful antics and cookies next time. :)**

**xoxo KaelynnLovesGerard**

It's dark, and Johnny is crying.

The moon is shining through the window of the Curtis living room, illuminating his face as he weeps.

He is weeping for many a reason. He cries for his back, which is still causing him pain, (slightly more than necessary, due to his refusal of taking Gracie's bed). He cries for Dally, whom he still misses. Most of all, he cries for his awful situation in life, having no money, and being a charity case.

He hears the door open with a creak, then someone shut it as carefully as possible. He doesn't even try to fake sleeping. He's been crying for too long, and he needs his time.

"Johnny?" a surprised whisper asks in the darkness. The whisper is feminine, and Johnny recognizes it. He doesn't want to answer.

"Johnny?"

Now he _really _doesn't want to answer.

"Johnny?"

Now footsteps accompany the voice, and the moonlight hits Grace's face.

"Why are you cryin'?" she asks, shocked. "Is your back hurting?"

He shakes his head tearfully and tries to sit up with a groan. She cocks an eyebrow.

"Well...maybe it is. But that isn't all," Johnny says, a blush creeping into his cheeks when he realizes all he has on is a pair of boxers. He lays back on the couch.

"What is it?" she asks, and sits on the very edge of the couch, beside him. He notices for the first time what she has on: a teeny mini-skirt, tube top, and a pair of lace-up tennis shoes. He knows Darry wouldn't approve, but he thinks maybe that's the point. She has large hoops in her ears(which he didn't even realize were pierced). Her lipstick is smeared, and her eyeliner is smudged.

But despite all of this, she still looks lovely.

"What happened, Grace?" he asks. She shakes her head a little.

"Curly Shepherd kind of threw himself on me. I'll be fine," she says, and he feels anger rise in his chest.

"What?" he exclaims quietly. "What do you mean, you'll be fine? He could've hurt you!"

"Johnny, tell me what's wrong with you," she says, ignoring his questions.

"Grace-"

"Please tell me," she pleads. Johnny hesitates.

"I don't know," he says finally, the tears finally stopping. "My back, I guess. And I still miss Dally." He pauses, drawing in a ragged breath. "And I have to...have to go back to _school_ in the chair."

"Oh, Johnny," she says. "Pony and I will make sure nothing happens."

"You can't," he whispers. "You never have classes with me. And I don't want you guys to fight my battles." He stops and and laughs bitterly. "I'm like a damn baby, havin' to mooch offa other people."

"Johnny...you aren't mooching off of us," she tells him. He shakes his head.

"And I...I just-" his breath hitches, and he slams a fist down onto the couch, "-I _hate_ them! I hate the Socs, and I hate who did this to me!" This is the first time he's ever opened up to anyone besides Ponyboy before, and he is slightly surprised.

"Speaking of...who _did_ do this to you?" she asks timidly.

"It don't matter," he says. "None of it matters. _I don't matter_."

"Yes, you do, Johnny!" she exclaims, surprising him with her ferocity. He thinks that maybe this is all a dream. He can't have possibly just said all these things. He's the suffer-in-silence type.

"What am I ever gonna amount to, huh?" he asks. "What am I gonna be in life? A cripple who's dumb enough to fail his freshman year? Cause I don't think anyone's hirin' for that position."

"You are not dumb, Johnny," she says. "And you are only in the chair another month."

"...until another Soc gets a hold'a me."

"You can't think like that." Johnny notices that her eyes are moist, then, and is ashamed that he made her cry.

His bravado is suddenly gone, replaced by his old, small voice. "I'll try not to."

"Johnny-"

"I'm tired," he says in a quiet voice. "So if we're done here I'd like to sleep."

He is embarrassed again, when she recoils at his harsh words. He thinks that he hasn't spoken to anyone so honestly in a long time, and it feels kind of good to get his bad feelings off of his chest. But he shouldn't be unloading them onto her.

"Sorry," he says. Grace nods slowly and gets off of the couch.

As she heads to the room she shares with Pony and Soda, she suddenly turns back to him.

"Just so you know, Johnny," she says seriously. "My bed's always open."

Then, just like that, she is gone.

_Did she realize the double meaning in that?_

_She _did _mean in case I want to trade, right?_

_Or does she mean sleep with her?_

Johnny falls to sleep more confused than he has been in a long time.

**Grace and Johnny are starting have a little more of a connection...let's see how this turns out.**

**So how'dja like it, folks?**


	6. The Secret

**So this may be a little short. I think this is the best way to end the chapter, though. Keep reading, it may be a bit boring. The next one is worth it, I promise. Ha, I said the same thing on the last one, didn't I?**

**She's a Handsome Woman Ch. 6**

TWO WEEKS LATER

"Now, Johnny, do these," Mrs. Gage says as she hands him his assignments. He thanks her quietly and nods, wheeling himself out of the door and down the hall with his books in his lap.

Johnny was so thankful for how things had worked out.

The day after his talk with Grace, was sitting alone in Ponyboy's bedroom, trying to look for something to do. He finally gave up and just sat, staring out the window. Soda walked in, and asked him what was the matter.

"Nothin'," Johnny had said, and Soda raised his eyebrows.

"You sure, Johnnycake?" he asked kindly. His eyes were kind and persuasive, and after a few more minutes of prodding he had given in.

To Johnny's extreme embarrassment, Soda told Darry about it. He was sure his intentions were good, but he sure hoped that Soda didn't tell Darry about him crying...again.

Darry called up the school and asked about getting Johnny's assignments for him to do at home. There was indeed a program for students in the hospital, on bed rest, or just plain hurting.

So that's why he is wheeling down the hall with a lap full of books, on his way to Darry's car.

Once in the car Darry turns up the heat; it's a chilly September morning.

There isn't much talking as they drive home. Darry says something about the weather. Johnny just nods; he doesn't feel like talking.

He's afraid he might tell Darry _the secret_.

The past two weeks Johnny has seen something every night that worries him slightly.

Grace has been sneaking out.

He supposes it must have been going on a long time. He hadn't spent the night with the Curtis's in a while before he moved in.

It's always around one in the morning, after everyone is asleep. He first hears creaking footsteps, then sees her emerge from the hall, completely dressed in rather skimpy clothing. He thinks she must have stolen them; Darry would never let her buy those clothes.

She tiptoes to the screen and opens it slowly. Then she slips out.

If she knew Johnny was awake during these (sneak) outings, she might wonder why he is awake. To tell the truth he doesn't know.

He feels shock more than anything for the first few minutes after she's gone.

Grace has always been a good girl for the most part. Sure, she gets in fights (and usually loses), but most of the time she is a nice girl. She doesn't swear alot (as far as he knows), and the only guys she has dated have been short flings, nothing serious (as far as he knows).

He can't help but think that if he tells her eldest brother, he might turn into the old Darry. The one who blows up on small things. The one who is cold.

He shudders, but not from the cold. Apparently Darry notices, and he turns the heat dial up slightly.

**So now we know for sure she isn't a Mary-Sue.**

**Thanks to reviewers : **4bluenvrshoutnvr4, roonilwazlib1 (love that Harry Potter reference), SpiderLlamas, ILuvJohhnyCade.

**Reviews are like candy, people. **


	7. What Are You Doing Up?

**She's A Handsome Woman Ch.7**

**A/N: The next chapter will be quite shocking, and probably published tonight.**

Tonight, Johnny has decided that this isn't going to happen anymore.

He begins to feel jittery around eleven o'clock, when Darry and Ponyboy decide to turn in. Soda and Steve are still sitting on either side of him like bookends. Johnny wonders how they can manage to stay up until three and have the will to go to work at seven.

About twelve-thirty Steve yawns, looks at his watch and says, "Man, I gotta get some sleep! Catch you later, Sodapop."

_He must have been out late again last night_, Johnny thinks. Sometimes Steve takes the money his old man gives him after one of their fights and gambles over at Buck's. Johnny doesn't think that's the best idea; Steve's family is as bad off as his, and he has a worse poker-face than Ponyboy.

Fifteen minutes later Soda stands up and stretches. He bids Johnny goodnight, and heads down the hall to his bedroom, switching off lights as he does so. Johnny is grateful for this; anyone else (besides maybe Pony or Darry) would've carelessly kept them on, not even thinking about Johnny wanting to sleep. But Soda's different than everyone else.

Johnny sits up after he hears the click of Soda shutting the door. He pulls a blanket around himself and waits.

Right on cue, he hears a bedroom door opening and shutting. A shadow crawls across the wall, and the bathroom door opens.

Johnny takes this opportunity to pull himself into the wheelchair. He's already getting better, it should only be another week and a half until he gets out of the damn thing.

He wheels himself to the front door, and the light on the bathroom goes off. He sits still, and it's so dark he doubts that she can see.

Her silhouette becomes apparent against the dark room, and she is only a few feet from him. He could reach out and touch her...

"Johnny?" she yelps in disbelief. Her face is shocked. Her eyes take in his position in front of the door, his arms crossed.

"Wh-what are you doing up?" she stutters. He rolls his eyes.

"The real question is what are _you_ doing up, ready to go?" he asks quietly, looking her in the eye. She looks absolutely stunned, at a loss for words. Then her expression goes hard.

"What's it to ya?" she asks. "It's not any of _your _business." She tries to get by him, but his wheelchair is against the door.

"But, Grace," he says, "why can't you just tell me?"

"Because it is _none of your business_," she hisses. Her voice is full of venom, and her expression surprises Johnny.

"Grace-"

"Get the hell out of my way!" she explodes, and pushes him out of her path. She uses enough force that he rolls and hits his knees against the wall. Hard.

The recoil from the impact makes his chair tip. He teeters dangerously on the edge, and as soon as he thinks he's out of the woods, he falls to the floor with a crash.

He immediately has one of those instant headaches that almost always comes after a fall like that. His back protests a bit, but it doesn't matter.

His face burns in shame; if he hadn't been in a wheelchair, he could've stopped her. If he hadn't been in a wheelchair, he could've followed her. But most importantly, if he hadn't been in a wheelchair, he wouldn't be lying on the ground like a worthless cripple.

He hears sleepy voices in the short hallway as a tear slips out of his eye. His quick resolution is that it is the only one he will allow: that single, terrible droplet that makes him all the more ashamed.

"-where is Grace?" he hears someone ask. Ponyboy.

"Johnny!" a voice that he recognizes as Soda exclaims, but Johnny can't see him; he is facing the wall.

He feels himself being picked up, put on the couch. He tries to help as much as he can, but overexertion just bothers his back too much.

He finally sees that all three Curtis boys are asking him questions. They all talk at once, and Johnny shouts at them to shut up.

"Where's Grace?" Darry demands.

_There isn't any other explanation for this_, Johnny thinks, and sighs with resignation. He begins to tell the story: how long it's been going on, how she pushed him. He blushes at the latter part, but again, there is no plausible explanation.

"Come on," Ponyboy says darkly when Johnny is done explaining. "I think I know where she is."

**Where is she? Will they find her? Is the sky orange?**

**Tune in next time for, "She's A Handsome Woman", part 8.**


	8. Not That Kinda Girl, Or Maybe So

**She's a Handsome Woman, Ch. 8**

"Where are we going, Ponyboy?" Soda asks as he wheels Johnny along the sidewalk. They have been walking for thirty minutes, and they have yet to figure out where Ponyboy is going.

Pony doesn't answer.

"C'mon, Pony, where are we goin'?" Darry asks. He is furious, and panicking. He screamed for the first ten minutes of walking.

"Don't worry about it," he finally answers. Johnny rolls his eyes.

"Just tell us-" he begins, then Ponyboy spins around to him.

"Tell _you_? Really? Why should I tell you anything? My sister's been sneaking out for two weeks, and you haven't told anyone before now!" Ponyboy points an accusing finger in his face. "You just need to shut up, Johnny Cade!"

Johnny is shocked. Pony has _never_ spoken to him like this. The last time he can remember something even close is the night of the murder, when he said, "You just shut your trap, Johnny Cade, cause we all know you ain't wanted at home, either. And you can't blame them."

"Ponyboy!" Soda exclaims, but Darry doesn't object, just looks ahead with his icy-blues set on the road.

They walk for about ten more minutes, and come upon a place Johnny recognizes instantly. The realization is like a slap in the face.

"Buck's?" Soda asks. "Why would she be at _Buck's_?"

"Because," Ponyboy says. "Curly's probably here."

...

It's kind of strange that they are wheeling Johnny into a house full of people drinking, fighting, and just rough-housing in general. He gains several sympathetic looks from girls along the way.

The whole place is hazy with smoke, and it's hard to see. But Johnny (and Ponyboy) know that there's a room that Dally didn't want them to go into. That they _shouldn't_ go into.

That's the room they are entering right now.

It's full of people, and the smoke is a bit thicker. They can make out people within twelve feet, at least, and go on the hunt.

Finally Johnny hits the arm of a couch, (thanks to Sodapop's careless wheeling), and he sees a foot hanging off the side, clad in an all-too-familiar sneaker.

"It's Grace!" Johnny exclaims, but Soda shushes him. Johnny sees why when he looks up.

There is a boy, no younger than eighteen, no older than twenty, that's sitting by Grace. His long, greasy black hair is barely visible against the dark walls. He is caressing her face softly, and his hands move lower.

Johnny bites back a shout, and looks up at Soda. Sodapop is clenching his fists and jaw, but stays silent. But if looks could kill, Sodapop would have genocide on his hands.

To Johnny's shock Soda walks calmly to the boy and says, "What's goin' on here?" Through the haze it's hard to see his expression, but Johnny guesses that it's probably slightly angry.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" the guy snarls, and Soda picks him up by the arm.

"Hey, come on, I just want to know what I need to do to get a lady as tuff as that," Soda lies easily. Johnny realizes with a jolt how much he and Grace look alike, and is amazed that this boy cannot tell the resemblance.

And the way Soda is acting...so out-of-character. But he always has been sly. Well-meaning...but sly.

"Oh," the guy says, then continues in a voice just loud enough for Johnny to hear, "Well, we've got this little operation with this chick goin'. We slip a few pills into her drink -strong stuff, can't ever remember what you just did after takin' it- and we try to get guys interested. Ya know, then we get a little money, and she's out of our hands. Our...clients always get her back to her house in time for anyone to notice." Johnny feels like vomiting, in fact feels the bile rise in his throat at this. His head swims, and his vision blurs.

"Well," Johnny hears Soda begin, deathly sweet. "You need to know somethin' about that little peach right there."

"Yeah?" The guy leans in curiously.

"That's my baby sister, you son of a bitch!" Soda screams, and decks him. The whole party freezes, the music stops, and Johnny silently cheers.

The guy is lying on the ground, and the people around him scream, "FIGHT, FIGHT!"

Soda ignores them and grabs Grace. He slings her over his shoulder.

"Let's go, Johnny - can she sit on your lap?" he asks, and Johnny nods.

Soda sets her down and Johnny grunts when her weight is fully on him.

Just then a thought strikes Johnny.

_What if someone called the police? _It's absurd, only one punch was thrown.

_But still_, he argues with himself. _You never know._

Soda calls for Darry and Pony, and finally finds them amongst the drunk greasers and scantily-clad girls.

"We gotta go!" Soda exclaims. "I'll explain later!"

And with that, they exit the party, and Johnny wishes he could un-hear what just went down in there.

...

When they arrive home, Johnny feels like an alien in this house. He shouldn't be here, not after he just found out...

Darry had demanded to know what happened all the way home, to Soda's refusal. so now it was time to explain.

Johnny felt dread flare up in his stomach. How do you tell someone that kind of news?

Darry carries Grace to her room to put her down, and then comes back. His face is expectant.

"Well?" Darry says. "You gonna tell me or not?"

"I think you should sit down, Dar," he tells him, looking at his hands. Ponyboy sits with Darry, too, and Soda begins to protest.

"I think you should leave for a minute, Pony," he says. Ponyboy's face manages to look confused, angry, and defiant all at once.

"If you think I'm leavin', you're off your rocker."

"Fine," Soda sighs, and rubs his temple. "There was a guy...with Grace. And I asked him a few questions..."

"Yeah?" Pony asks.

"And he says somethin' about her drinkin'..."

Darry sighs. "Get on with it, Soda." He looks as if he's bracing himself.

"I just...don't know how to say it," Soda nearly whispers. His face is heartbroken, as is the face of the boy sitting by him.

Johnny feels again like he shouldn't be here, like this is a family problem. But he guesses that since they invited him to live with them, he's part of the family now.

"Oh, just _spit it out_, Soda!" Darry says, exasperated.

"Fine!" Soda explodes. "Fine! They've been sellin' her, Darry! She's been going to Buck's, drinkin', and they've been slippin' stuff into her drink! They've been sellin' her!" A tear makes its way down Soda's face, and Ponyboy jumps up.

"No!" he yells, sounding alot younger in his defiance; as if he is a toddler denied a toy. "No! She's not that kind of girl!"

"Pony, she had no choice in the matter," Darry says softly, shocking Johnny. He thinks maybe this is too much for even Darry to yell at.

"So they _raped _her?" Ponyboy asks. "They raped Gracie, and we're sitting here? That's my _sister_."

Soda stands up and hugs Pony, and they both start sobbing. Darry sits behind them as if made of stone. He stares into space and Johnny sees him stifle a sob.

Then he is up, too, with both arms around his brothers. They are a trio of weeping brothers, and Johnny thinks that this is supposed to be private. He begins wheeling himself out the front door, feeling lousier than he's ever felt in his life.

He found out Grace, _Grace_, has been being passed around like a cheap dishrag. That she's been drinking, and who knows what else.

He starts to roll across the porch when he hears Darry say, "Johnny, where you goin'?"

Johnny turns around to see the three boys looking at him intently.

He blushes. "I just- I just thought-"

"Get in here," Darry says.

Johnny looks to Ponyboy, who is in turn observing him. He can't tell how Ponyboy is feeling...until he nods at Johnny.

He rolls himself through the door, and asks Darry, "You sure?"

"Johnny," Darry begins explaining. "You're a part of the family now."

Even though it is a time of sadness, this makes Johnny inwardly rejoice.

_I'm a part of a family_, he thinks, and joins the other boys, who have resumed their group hug.

**I REALLY want input on this chapter.**

**How will Grace react to the news that she has been repeatedly violated?**


	9. The Morning After

**Sorry about the wait guys, lol. School just started, and I've been busy dealing with stereotypical skanks. Here's the next in Johnny-Drama.**

Johnny wakes at eight the next morning, feeling oddly refreshed. That is, until he remembers what happened last night, and almost throws up.

Ponyboy is asleep on the recliner, still dresses in his jeans and t-shirt. His leg hangs over one arm of the chair, and his mouth is open as he draws in a deep, noisy breath. Johnny pulls himself to a sitting position and giggles as his friend snores loudly.

Sodapop comes from the hall, though Johnny hasn't heard the door open. His eyes are drooping, and he walks slowly. Darry follows closely behind him, looking wide awake compared to his sluggish brother.

"You got up first, Pepsi Cola," Darry says as he sits down beside Johnny. Soda groans.

"Damn it, Dar!" he whines, then snaps his fingers like he's had a burst of inspiration. "Technically Johnny was the first one up!" He looks between Johnny and Darry, who give him strange looks.

"Um, Soda," Darry says. "You _do_ realize that Johnny is in a wheelchair, right?"

"Well, yeah," Soda begins, then his smile falters. "Fine. What the hell do you want for breakfast?" he grumbles.

"What's with all the swearing this morning?" Johnny hears a voice say. At that instant, Ponyboy wakes up, and Grace appears out of the hallway.

Everyone is shocked at her casualness. Then the gears in Johnny's mind turn, and he mentally slaps himself. _Of _course _she doesn't remember, dummy!_ he thinks. _She was out cold!_

"Whoa," she says. "What's wrong with everyone?" Her amused smile slides off her face in a heartbeat when she really looks at their faces.

Darry stands up, and Soda sits. Her face gets even more confused and scared.

He touches her shoulder. "I think you need to sit down, Gracie." She shakes her head from side to side.

"What is it?" She backs away.

"Do you remember going to a party last night?" he asks, ignoring her question. She looks accusingly at Johnny.

"You told!" she exclaims. On the inside, he hates her for getting angry at him. If only she knew.

"Yeah, and if he hadn't your ass would be lyin' in some stranger's bed!" Soda explodes, completely out of character. Johnny thinks perhaps that inside, Soda is the one that this is hurting the most. His one goal in life is to keep all his family happy, and safe; that's why he quit school. But now, Grace has been hurt and he didn't even know about it.

"Wh-what d'you mean?" she asks with wide, fearful eyes. The hate in Johnny's heart is immediately replaced with heartbreak over her expression. She has no idea of what has been going on.

"We mean," Darry says, "that someone's been drugging you at those parties at Buck's. They've been selling you, Grace."

Her eyes go wide as if she's been slapped. "Wh-what?" Her voice breaks, and her knees start to tremble.

Johnny suddenly wishes Dally were alive. Not because he'd be good at handling this; Dallas Winston would have been the worst possible person for this job. But if he had been alive, he would've been at most of those parties. He would've knocked some guy's lights out and brought her home. He wasn't as protective of Grace as he was Johnny, but on the inside he knew Dally had a soft spot for her. She was the only girl in the gang, after all.

Ponyboy stands and walks to Grace. They look at each other in silence, then he wraps his arms around her.

"Grace," he says quietly. "They've been drugging your drink, then sending you home with different guys."

"B-but how don't I remember this?" she asks, turning from person to person. "How'd I end up at home?"

"Apparently they brought you home early in the mornin'," Soda says, speaking for the first time since his outburst. "Guy said you never remembered anything, so you prolly just walked right through the door."

She trembles, a slight shiver that is barely noticeable, and begins crying.

Soda immediately swarms around her, comforting her and kissing her forehead. Darry goes to her also, and soon enough Johnny is once again on the outside-looking-in. Johnny doesn't know the word for what he feels right now, but if he did he'd be saying, "Deja vu." He pulls himself on his wheelchair and merely sits, rolling his wheel slightly and fiddling with the rubber.

He finally rolls over to her, where they are all embracing. He sits behind her, wondering if he should just leave.

She sees him out of the corner of her eye. She turns slightly, then faces him completely.

Her eyes widen.

"Oh, Johnny!" she exclaims, and practically tackles him. He is shocked for a moment, then puts his arms around her.

"I'm so sorry for these last two weeks," she says.

"I know."

There is silence, and he thinks everyone is wondering the same thing: _What now?_

**Eh, lame ending. But hey, I was getting badgered.**

**Next chapter will be better, I promise.**


	10. Stuck On You

**Helloooo, lovelies :)**

**She's a Handsome Woman Ch. 10**

Grace hasn't come out of her room for a week.

She won't accept any visitors, only letting Ponyboy and Soda in when she's asleep (and Johnny's isn't sure that she would if she was awake.)

Soda and Pony have been trying to talk to her all week, but she won't even say anything. After their little group hug she had gone into her room-and she hasn't come out since.

Johnny thinks that she needs her time . . . but a w_hole _week? He isn't even sure she's eaten anything.

Right now he' s rolling home from school, a suicidal, idiotic move (or at least that's what the Curtis's said.) But Darry had to work late today, and now Johnny is lying out like Soc bait. It should be less than a week now until he gets out of the chair; he's not supposed to even try to walk before then.

"Damn it!" he yells to no one when his wheel gets stuck. He jimmies it a few times, and he sees that a rock is wedged in between the rubber and the actual metal circle-_how the hell did that happen?_ he thinks. The rock is too big to get out by shaking the wheel, so Johnny leans over to pull it out.

He knows it's a bad idea when he feels the chair begin to teeter on the edge. He braces himself, but the hard, jarring fall never comes. He looks up, and sees his savior.

Grace, looking bedraggled and sad, pulls him back to the sitting position in silence. She leans over and pulls the rock from the wheel. Johnny is envious when she does this- and a bit ashamed. He can't even pull a damn rock out from under his wheelchair.

She looks at him one more time, and starts back toward the Curtis home, no explanation, no conversation.

"Grace!" he yells to her. She stops, but doesn't turn around.

He begins to wheel towards her. "Grace!"

She turns this time. He rolls up to her.

"What is it, Johnny?" her voice isn't cold, like he expected; more pleading than anything.

"You need to get out of this funk," he says. "You've been in your room all week, and you won't talk to anyone." She walks towards him slowly, but he doesn't notice.

His tone is hushed. "I'm worried about you, Grace."

"Thank you," she says quietly. "For worrying, I mean." She stops and chokes back a sob. "I'm such a _slut_!"

"Grace!" Johnny exclaims, and grabs her arms. "No you're not! Those guys took advantage of you."

Her crying is real now. She nods her head and mutters, "I am."

Not even caring, he pulls her down into his lap and cradles her, telling her she's not.She stays, and laces her fingers through his.

So here they are.

Anyone walking through right now would turn up their nose, but in truth all it is is a crippled greaser trying to comfort his best friend's sister.

**Sorry for taking so long. I've had a bad, shocking week.**


End file.
